Pages

Wednesday, 7 May 2014

Ipswich Wars Latest

OK I know I said no more posts tonight but I have just seen on the First website that they are upping the ante in Ipswich. From 25th May the 53, which runs to Chantry in opposition to Ipswich Buses service 13 is going to run into the town centre in a loop going past Old Cattle Market. I can see this luring customers away from the 13 who have Tower Ramparts or nothing really, so watch for IB to follow suit and the 13 to revert to its original town centre routing. The 53 will change to a 12 min frequency which is a reduction on the current 10 min frequency.

Also First's Superoute 66 is going to be extended from Ipswich Rail Station to serve Maidenhall and Halifax Monday - Saturday which will be in direct competition with IB's 15 and 7 services. This will give the residents from those areas a direct link to Ipswich Hospital which again I think will prove popular since IB stopped the through service a couple of years ago when they started using Tower ramparts as a hub. Again watch for IB to reintroduce through services linking the 5 and 11 with the 7 and 15 like it used to be! Only speculation but doesn't take much working out! How long before First combine the 53 with the 55? Only wish such battles were taking place in my village.

You can see the full list of service changes in Ipswich on First's website by clicking here.

5 comments:

Steve check out my exclusive today, ie the 53 you have forgotten that the 13 stops at St Matthew's Street where there is a Morrisons and Icelands and has always used this route it is now getting childish each working over each others routes chasing the same customers, i can't see through workings coming back as First have stopped that with the 60/61 working off the 53, if one route is running late it creates problems with the other one, the 66 doesn't work currently into the Ipswich Hospital grounds just the Heath Road/Woodbridge Road roundabout stop which is some way from the Hospital

Firstly is Iceland going to stay in St Matthew's St with the new store in Tower Ramparts opening, and where is Morrison's? There's a small Tesco in Norwich Rd. I am aware of the 66 route having used that stop to go to Ipswich Hospital many times from the 64 - it is still a while lot closer than the 13 goes which was my point.

Through workings seem to be working well enough at Anglian, and not having to change buses is crucial in gaining new customers to take longer journeys - especially on a day like today. In ipswich if the traffic is bad then all routes suffer anyway, through routes or not because of driver's breaks,displaced vehicles etc.

Like you I wish new routes and areas were explored rather than duplication on existing routes. Then more people would benefit.

Iceland is staying there as its a bigger store the Tower Ramparts one is a small one, Morrisons is the one near the roundabout on St Matthews street ex Blockbusters, through working just doesn't work in Ipswich the sheer volume of traffic has killed that off, especially from the Woodbridge Road/Foxhall Road end of town, it's a good idea in theory but how many people use it, Steve interesting also that First have now also stopped the 64/65 running on to the 88 Stowmarket so they must know what they are doing, i'm wondering how Chris Speed will react to IB running over part of the 66, the 66 ideally should be upgraded the 53 plate Volvo B7TLs are getting long in the tooth.

I think the reason the 64/65 don't go on to the 88/89 is the routing of the 89 and the low brdge. deckers are frequently in use during the week on the 64/65 and that would preclude them from the 89. So I would imagine it's for height reasons not traffic.

When are IB starting to mirror the 66? Actually the 53 plate B7's are some of the best deckers FEC have got. The planned refurbishment and repainting should do them fine if a decent mechanical overhaul is also included.

Old Posts You May Like

Comments

I always welcome comments about my posts - don't be shy and say what you think!

Search This Blog

SB&TP Policy Statement

All views and opinions, unless otherwise stated are mine alone. I am not affiliated to any operating company or tendering authority. I want to publish as many positive posts as possible, but I am a passenger before spotter, and I make no apology for consistently challenging both tendering authorities and operating companies to provide an increasingly improving public transport system that provides reliability, convenience, comfort and value for money. Anyone is free to contact me with any concerns at anytime.All pictures and information within blog posts are copyright and not to be republished or copied without prior permission and/or due credit given.